Attaching a gutter to a building is one of those tasks which appears to be very easy; however, this task has inherent problems. One problem is that the person installing the gutter should have more hands because: (1) the gutter must be sloped at an angle which will provide proper drainage to the downspout; (2) the installer must hold the loose ferrule in place within the gutter; (3) the installer must hold the nail, or spike, at the outside of the gutter; and (4) the installer must drive the nail through the gutter and the ferrule.
On many relatively low structures, such as a single story dwelling, gutters are most easily installed by two persons working as a team. One person works from the roof while the other person works from a ladder. Between the two persons, they have four hands and can install the gutter. Installation of gutters is much more difficult on multi-story buildings, and especially those buildings having steep roofs.
As will be seen from the drawings and the specification below, the applicants have invented a novel and useful gutter installation tool which will greatly facilitate the installation of gutters.